The Socialist 2 June 2005

Say no to the bosses' profit system

EU constitution defeated

Why French workers voted 'no' to EU referendum

Defend adult education

ID cards: £300 for a snooper's card!

The campaign for Socialism 2005 begins now

Capitalism can't solve AIDS crisis

"Struggle or death" - Pakistan telecoms workers fight privatisation

Germany: Political turmoil after the elections

Iraq: coalition plans floundering

Labour court awards Gama workers €8,000

Striking back at pay-cutting bosses

BBC offer must be rejected

It is privatisation and it is as we know it

Coventry single status dispute: the stakes are raised

FE lecturers fight for pay deal

Job losses expose Manchester's 'boom'

Previous issues, etc

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BBC: New offer must be rejected

ON 23 May thousands of BBC staff, members of three different trade unions, took strike action. This was not just to defend their jobs but also to save public-sector broadcasting from privatisation and to defend the concept of public services as such.

Christian Bunke, NUJ joint branch secretary, Manchester

Picket lines throughout the country were youthful, lively and combative, sending a militant message to BBC director-general Mark Thompson and the government: "We won't accept your cuts, we will fight."

Then, at the last minute, came the announcement that the two-day strike from 31 May to 1 June was called off. Union leaders put the following to BBC shop stewards at a meeting on Tuesday, but "without proposing acceptance of the offer": BBC Resources will not be sold until 2007. The sell off of BBC broadcast is going ahead, but unions can consult with the bidders. No compulsory redundancies until 2006.

This "offer" doesn't solve anything. NUJ, BECTU and AMICUS members should vote against it. If accepted, the BBC would still be up for privatisation, there would still be massive job cuts after 2006. The fight to save public-sector broadcasting has to continue.

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Say no to the bosses' profit system